Best Schools for Aviation in 2026
54 schools ranked by DegreeWorth Score · Updated 2026
These are the top schools offering Aviation, ranked by DegreeWorth Score. The score combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and return on tuition investment. The average Aviation graduate earns $44,286/yr across 54 schools.
Programs Ranked
54
Avg Earnings
$44,286/yr
Avg DW Score
58/100
AI Risk
Moderate
37% task exposure
All Aviation Programs Ranked
Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.
| # | Program | DW Score | Earnings | AI Risk | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Aviation
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus · Portales, NM |
78
74–79 |
$88,085/yr | Moderate | 31.1x |
| 2 |
Aviation
Utah Valley University · Orem, UT |
73
68–74 |
$56,402/yr | Moderate | 33.0x |
| 3 |
Aviation
Polk State College · Winter Haven, FL |
71
67–73 |
$50,499/yr | Moderate | 36.5x |
| 4 |
Aviation
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide · Daytona Beach, FL |
69
64–70 |
$54,827/yr | Moderate | 17.0x |
| 5 |
Aviation
California State University-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA |
68
64–69 |
$46,267/yr | Moderate | 22.1x |
| 6 |
Aviation
University of North Texas · Denton, TX |
69
65–68 |
$56,487/yr | Moderate | 15.5x |
| 7 |
Aviation
Minnesota State University-Mankato · Mankato, MN |
66
61–69 |
$45,193/yr | Moderate | 21.2x |
| 8 |
Aviation
University of Nebraska at Omaha · Omaha, NE |
66
60–69 |
$42,837/yr | Moderate | 27.9x |
| 9 |
Aviation
University of North Dakota · Grand Forks, ND |
66
60–69 |
$46,193/yr | Moderate | 19.9x |
| 10 |
Aviation
Middle Georgia State University · Macon, GA |
66
62–68 |
$41,028/yr | Moderate | 40.4x |
| 11 |
Aviation
Purdue University-Main Campus · West Lafayette, IN |
66
60–68 |
$45,190/yr | Moderate | 19.3x |
| 12 |
Aviation
University of Alaska Anchorage · Anchorage, AK |
65
59–67 |
$40,796/yr | Moderate | 24.5x |
| 13 |
Aviation
Middle Tennessee State University · Murfreesboro, TN |
64
60–66 |
$43,909/yr | Moderate | 17.6x |
| 14 |
Aviation
Central Washington University · Ellensburg, WA |
63
57–66 |
$40,025/yr | Moderate | 22.6x |
| 15 |
Aviation
Florida Institute of Technology-Online · Melbourne, FL |
64
59–66 |
$47,019/yr | Moderate | 14.9x |
| 16 |
Aviation
Arizona State University Campus Immersion · Tempe, AZ |
62
57–64 |
$44,481/yr | Moderate | 14.5x |
| 17 |
Aviation
Metropolitan State University of Denver · Denver, CO |
63
58–64 |
$43,922/yr | Moderate | 14.8x |
| 18 |
Aviation
Farmingdale State College · Farmingdale, NY |
63
59–63 |
$41,960/yr | Moderate | 15.9x |
| 19 |
Aviation
Bridgewater State University · Bridgewater, MA |
62
57–64 |
$43,171/yr | Moderate | 14.8x |
| 20 |
Aviation
Indiana State University · Terre Haute, IN |
60
56–62 |
$40,112/yr | Moderate | 15.2x |
| 21 |
Aviation
Kansas State University · Manhattan, KS |
65
63–63 |
$51,198/yr | Moderate | 10.7x |
| 22 |
Aviation
Louisiana Tech University · Ruston, LA |
59
50–63 |
$35,669/yr | Moderate | 20.3x |
| 23 |
Aviation
Kent State University at Kent · Kent, OH |
59
52–63 |
$40,876/yr | Moderate | 14.3x |
| 24 |
Aviation
Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH |
59
52–63 |
$40,102/yr | Moderate | 14.5x |
| 25 |
Aviation
Hallmark University · San Antonio, TX |
60
56–62 |
$79,086/yr | Moderate | — |
| 26 |
Aviation
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale · Carbondale, IL |
59
55–60 |
$44,063/yr | Moderate | 11.6x |
| 27 |
Aviation
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus · Stillwater, OK |
62
60–60 |
$45,682/yr | Moderate | 10.2x |
| 28 |
Aviation
Liberty University · Lynchburg, VA |
58
53–60 |
$50,629/yr | Moderate | 8.7x |
| 29 |
Aviation
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon · Bayamon, PR |
58
53–60 |
$31,376/yr | Moderate | 24.0x |
| 30 |
Aviation
Everglades University · Boca Raton, FL |
58
55–59 |
$53,331/yr | Moderate | 7.9x |
| 31 |
Aviation
Eastern Kentucky University · Richmond, KY |
56
50–59 |
$35,625/yr | Moderate | 15.2x |
| 32 |
Aviation
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott · Prescott, AZ |
54
50–56 |
$54,827/yr | Moderate | 4.0x |
| 33 |
Aviation
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach · Daytona Beach, FL |
54
50–56 |
$54,827/yr | Moderate | 4.0x |
| 34 |
Aviation
Western Michigan University · Kalamazoo, MI |
51
44–57 |
$34,872/yr | Moderate | 11.6x |
| 35 |
Aviation
University of Central Missouri · Warrensburg, MO |
55
54–53 |
$38,283/yr | Moderate | 8.8x |
| 36 |
Aviation
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus · Norman, OK |
56
54–54 |
$38,652/yr | Moderate | 9.1x |
| 37 |
Aviation
California Aeronautical University · Bakersfield, CA |
54
50–53 |
$52,656/yr | Moderate | 2.7x |
| 38 |
Aviation
Florida Institute of Technology · Melbourne, FL |
51
46–53 |
$47,019/yr | Moderate | 3.4x |
| 39 |
Aviation
University of Maryland Eastern Shore · Princess Anne, MD |
49
42–54 |
$27,154/yr | Moderate | 14.7x |
| 40 |
Aviation
Jacksonville University · Jacksonville, FL |
50
45–51 |
$45,875/yr | Moderate | 2.9x |
| 41 |
Aviation
Eastern Michigan University · Ypsilanti, MI |
52
50–51 |
$40,846/yr | Moderate | 5.6x |
| 42 |
Aviation
Westminster University · Salt Lake City, UT |
49
44–51 |
$42,917/yr | Moderate | 3.8x |
| 43 |
Aviation
California Baptist University · Riverside, CA |
51
48–50 |
$48,989/yr | Moderate | 2.1x |
| 44 |
Aviation
Lewis University · Romeoville, IL |
47
41–50 |
$39,228/yr | Moderate | 4.2x |
| 45 |
Aviation
Auburn University · Auburn, AL |
49
47–48 |
$35,856/yr | Moderate | 6.2x |
| 46 |
Aviation
Delta State University · Cleveland, MS |
50
49–48 |
$32,537/yr | Moderate | 8.5x |
| 47 |
Aviation
LeTourneau University · Longview, TX |
46
41–49 |
$38,205/yr | Moderate | 4.2x |
| 48 |
Aviation
Utah State University · Logan, UT |
50
48–48 |
$33,142/yr | Moderate | 8.0x |
| 49 |
Aviation
University of Dubuque · Dubuque, IA |
45
39–47 |
$37,362/yr | Moderate | 3.6x |
| 50 |
Aviation
CUNY York College · Jamaica, NY |
50
48–48 |
$30,349/yr | Moderate | 9.3x |
Methodology
Programs are ranked by DegreeWorth Score, which combines four equally weighted factors: graduate earnings (Year 1 after graduation), AI automation resilience (based on OpenAI and academic research), job market size (BLS annual openings), and earnings-to-tuition multiple (10-year projected earnings vs. 4-year tuition).
Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which reports actual median earnings of graduates — not self-reported surveys.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best school for Aviation?
Based on our DegreeWorth Score, Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus ranks #1 for Aviation with a score of 78/100 and graduate earnings of $88,085/yr.
How much do Aviation graduates earn?
Across 54 schools, Aviation graduates earn an average of $44,286/yr in their first year. The highest-earning program reports $88,085/yr.
Is Aviation a good major for AI resistance?
Aviation has an average AI task exposure of 37%, rated "Moderate". This field has moderate AI exposure — some career paths are more resilient than others.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Last updated 2025.